Social agencies join forces to lobby province to move to safer consumption arena – Winnipeg Free Press

Organizations at the forefront of Winnipeg's drug crisis have developed a proposal asking the provincial government to create a community-led safe consumption site as opioid use reaches record highs.

They want the government to appoint the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Center to manage the project.

The wellness center proposal, in collaboration with Sunshine House, Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc., Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, Main Street Project and Substance Consulting, is asking the province to provide money to get the site up and running, including rent. contact the project coordinator to find a site for it and ensure that the space is locally-led and culturally sensitive.

An online petition by the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network says the site, under the centre's leadership, will be a place that “understands and respects the unique needs, traditions and beliefs of Indigenous peoples.”

“It would be a place based on trust, empathy and understanding where people who use substances can find support, guidance and access to other health care resources,” the petition states.

The petition will stop collecting names on Thursday to be sent to Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara and Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith on Friday.

Organizations involved in the proposal have been discussing the proposal since the first meeting with the province in December.

The wellness center was chosen because of its expertise in providing primary care and helping people through its programs, which include a clinic, residential resources and direct case management, said Levi Foy of Sunshine House.

While the proposal did not specify the amount of funding, Foy said it could move more quickly if the province is willing to commit resources to the center to hire a project manager who can act as a liaison between support organizations and the government.

“We just have to move things along as quickly as possible,” Foy said. “(The proposal) could really facilitate some of the input, data, community consultation, community support and all of that that we can use to delay projects.

“It's about showing the province that our sector partners are behind Aboriginal health and wellness, that community members are engaged and aware of this issue, and that we're fully open to the community, our partners and the community. province”.

Also included in the proposal is a request to allow the mobile overdose prevention site operated by Sunshine House to continue until a supervised consumption site is built and then reassess the need for its use.

Smith said he is considering a playground.

“We continue to have discussions with our various community partners and we know we need to move quickly on this important initiative,” he said. Free press in an email. “We are looking closely at the proposal from the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Center and our community partners as a solution to help our relatives on their recovery journey.”

“We continue to have discussions with our various community partners and know we must move quickly on this important initiative.”– Bernadette Smith

The center did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Foy said the province could build a reserve fund so if the center finds the right piece of land, it can move quickly to secure the site rather than risk losing it by dealing with bureaucratic red tape.

Both the proposal and the petition stem from a pressing need in these community organizations, Foy said. He described conversations with the province about the idea as “very positive,” but noted that Winnipeg needs a supervised consumption site as soon as possible.

“We can't do it from the side of the table because the need is too dire, too dire right now,” he said.

The number of opioid-related calls that Winnipeg paramedics responded to in 2023 was significantly higher than the previous year.

“We can't do it from the side of the table because the need is too dire, right now it's too difficult.”– Levi Foy

Data from the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service shows paramedics documented 1,870 opioid-related incidents in 2022 and a 55 per cent increase from a preliminary estimate of 3,398 in 2023.

WFPS spokeswoman Erin Madden said the numbers don't reflect the extent of the problem.

“The true number of calls related to substance use may be higher, but the chief complaint may instead be reported as a symptom of what the patient is experiencing (shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, etc.),” ​​he said.

No other drug included in the WFPS data (alcohol, cocaine, crystal meth, and marijuana) had an annual increase in incidents.

In 2016, paramedics documented 231 opioid-related cases.

— Nicole with Buffy Files

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